After 11 seasons in the NFL with the Chargers, Jets, Cardinals and Colts, Antonio Cromartie is now a full-time father, a roll he takes seriously.

The 33-year-old, who last played in 2016 with Indianapolis and is a five-time Pro Bowl selection, is the disciplinarian of the family; "the one who is mean sometimes," his wife Terricka Cromartie told Sporting News in a recent telephone interview, adding that Antonio, an engaged and involved father, is the one who is willing to let the children make some mistakes and learn from them.

Antonio and Terricka Cromartie announced the birth of their fifth child in August. (Antonio reportedly has fathered 13 children in total, with other women being the mothers of his other kids.) The Cromarties' family life with six children, including one from Terricka's previous relationship, is being documented on the aptly named "The Cromarties," a reality TV show scheduled to debut Thursday on USA Network.

"He's an excellent father, which is the reason why I really wanted to showcase our family," Terricka said.

The last time Antonio was on TV regarding his family, it was the infamous scene from HBO's "Hard Knocks" in 2010, when he couldn't name all of his children.

The scene became a sticking point and something for which he has been mocked.

But Terricka said that singular moment does not define her husband.

"There's a bad rep as far as having a lot of children," Terricka explained. "That's true and all, but no one knows how he is with the children and how great a father he is. I think people will see a different side of him and ultimately love him. And a lot of fathers out there are going to be talked about and their wives are going to be like, 'Hey, Antonio does this, you need to do this.'

"I am just looking forward to that turnaround."

Antonio, who is relishing being a father and not having to mix the long hours of an NFL schedule with his family time, has a zero tolerance policy for messes or piles in his house. His children get warned once to put things away, and if they don't comply, the items end up in the trash.

Beyond what Terricka calls "OCD to the extreme" when it comes to cleaning — Antonio sometimes stays up well past midnight scrubbing and cleaning — she loves seeing him able to dedicate himself to his family. Homework, of course, is a part of the equation.

"Homework is tough right now, but the biggest thing is trying to understand exactly what the teacher is trying to do," Antonio said. "I call myself a math magician. My oldest daughter brought home some math, and I'm like, 'Cancel that.' I couldn't even do that ... I couldn’t figure it out. I had to go online to figure it out."

Antonio still trains and works out regularly "in case (he gets) another phone call" from an NFL team in need of a cornerback. His four-day-per-week regimen includes boxing, a newfound passion.

"I'd like another go at (the NFL) if God presents another opportunity for me," he said. "If it doesn't, I always felt I had a great career. I'm happy with everything I've done in my career, and being able to be home with my family is another fun part of my life right now."

Even if he never plays again, Antonio Cromartie, like many high-profile players, is hoping to stay involved with the game in the media as an analyst.

"That's one of the things I really want to do is get into broadcasting, get into the game of football," he said. "It's still a passion, something that is driven to me since (I was) five years old.

"I want to be able to break down the game for people at home who really don't understand it. Make it a lot of easier, make it kindergarten when I talk about it."